AIR UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENT NO 5
Lab Title: IMPLEMENTATION AND VERIFICATION OF SUPERPOSITION PRINCIPLE
BOTH ON HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
Student Name: Reg. No:
Objective:
LAB ASSESSMENT:
Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Ability to Conduct
Experiment
Ability to assimilate the
results
Effective use of lab
equipment and follows
the lab safety rules
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:
LAB REPORT ASSESSMENT:
Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)
Data presentation
Experimental results
Conclusion
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:
Date: Signature:
LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT
NO. 09
IMPLEMENTATION AND
VERIFICATION OF
SUPERPOSITION PRINCIPLE
BOTH ON HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
Objectives:
1. To verify Superposition Principle for DC circuits.
2. To verify using Proteus simulation.
DISCUSSION
Superposition Principle
In electric network analysis, the fundamental rules are Ohm's Law and Kirchoff's Laws. While
these laws may be applied to analyze just about any circuit configuration, there are some “shortcut”
methods of analysis to make the calculations easier. These methods are called “network theorems”.
One of the most important principals in the field of circuit analysis is the principal of superposition.
It is valid only in linear circuits. The superposition principle states that:
“The total effect of multiple contributing sources on a linear circuit is equal to the sum of the
individual effects of the sources, taken one at a time.”
It means that if in a circuit there are multiple sources, we can "turn off" all but one source at a time,
and then investigate the circuit with only one source active at a time. Doing this with every source,
then add together the effects of each source to get the total effect.
Steps for Superposition Principle:
1. Isolate a source - Select a source. All other sources first must be "killed" (set to zero) by:
i. replacing all other voltage sources with a short circuit (thereby eliminating difference
of potential. i.e. V=0)
ii. replacing all other current sources with an open circuit (thereby eliminating current as
no current can flow through an open circuit. i.e. I=0)
2. Find the output from the isolated source - Once a source has been isolated, the response from
the source in question can be found using any of the techniques learned so far.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each source - Continue to choose a source, set the remaining sources to
zero, and find the response. Repeat this procedure until every source has been accounted for.
4. Sum the Outputs - Once the output due to each source has been found, add them together to find
the total response.
Superposition Principle is explained with the help of an example. Consider the circuit below.
Applying Superposition Theorem to calculate the voltages and currents of all resistors and for that,
suppressing one of the sources:
Solving the circuit by using the simple laws studied before, such as VDR (Voltage Divider Rule)
and CDR (Current Divider Rule):
Now considering the second voltage source by suppressing the first one:
Solving for the voltages and currents:
Now final step is to superimpose i.e. algebraically add the values obtained by considering one
source at a time. When superimposing these values of voltages and currents, one needs to be very
careful to consider polarity (voltage drop) and direction (electron flow), as the values have to be
added algebraically.
Similarly, for current also one has to be careful as in which direction does the current flow.
The end result looks something like this:
Lab Tasks:
1. Solve using Superposition Principle:
a) Take five resistor, according to the values mentioned in the figure.
b) Remove E2 and E3 and replace them with jumpers.
c) Measure the voltage drop across each resistor and record the values in the table.
d) Reconnect E2 and disconnect E1 and measure the voltage drops across each resistor.
Record the values in the table.
e) Reconnect E3 and disconnect E2 and measure the voltage drops across each resistor.
Record the values in the table.
f) Reconnect all three voltage sources and measure the voltage drops across each resistor.
Record the values in the table.
g) Calculate the theoretical voltage drops using one source at a time and compare with the
experimental values.
Resistors Resistance Voltage Drop Measured Current Measured
Rated Measured E1, E2 E1 E2 E1, E2 E1, E2 E E2
1
Resistors Resistance Voltage Drop Calculated Current Calculated
Rated Measured E1, E2 E1 E2 E1, E2 E1 E2 E 1
1
,
E
2
Theoretical Calculations
Proteus Simulation:
Conclusion:
